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How much do I love behind the scenes stuff? SO much. Which is why whenever I get to see photos of the models on my book covers, I’m obsessed. You can’t quite see the models’ faces on the City Love trilogy covers. But now you can!

The City Love trilogy models were en fuego. They had the right look, the right clothes and accessories, and their poses were on point. Gustavo Marx, the cover photographer, shared some fun outtakes from the two-day photo shoot. The first day was on a rooftop in Brooklyn to capture the Manhattan skyline in the background. The second day was on a pier near the Brooklyn Bridge.

The City Lovecover models were adorbs. They looked super comfortable together as Sadie and Austin, and I love the look of their clothes and sunglasses here.

They played around a little. With the Empire State Building in the background.

Brilliant cover designer Erin Fitzsimmons went with different outfits for the cover. They were still hot.

Speaking of hot, this photo shoot went down over two days in the summer of 2014 during a crazy heat wave. Erin said she didn’t know how the models weren’t drenched in sweat. After seeing how cool they look in these photos, I suspect that models may have anti-sweat superpowers.

Lost in Love is my favorite cover of the three. And these were my favorite models. Darcy and Jude were totally represented.

Love the clothes. Love her topknot. Love how she looks like Keira Knightley. Just. Freaking. Love.

And the lighting at sunset? Stunning.

The backlighting is so gorgeous, and that radiant shine of the sunlight on the water made the Lost in Love cover stand out.

The Forever in Love cover is a bit different. The models’ faces are the most visible. The focus is the sharpest. And the pose is super romantic. Ironically, Forever in Love is the least romantic book of the three, but we didn’t know that back in 2014! Back then I had no idea so much devastation would come crashing down at the end of the trilogy. But as this trilogy unfolded, I knew I needed to push my girls harder so they could push themselves out of their comfort zones. If you want big changes in your life, you have to make big changes, and that doesn’t happen when you’re stuck in a comfortable routine.

This girl looks like Brooke Shields here.

Rosanna and Donovan, of course. D is looking extra preppy here. And on the cover with that watch! But it was a good way to distinguish the unique characters.

HarperCollins did a behind-the-scenes photo shoot video you can watch here. You can watch my City Love trilogy tour featuring locations from the books on my YouTube. And Forever in Love can be ordered from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, or your local bookshop.

I did videos at five different New York City locations from the books, and tied in a theme from the books at each location. The final tour stop is Washington Square Park, which brings it back full-circle from the first chapter of the trilogy. Even filming the video was a full-circle moment because there was a magician performing who looked a lot like Jude, and in that first chapter of City Love Sadie and Rosanna are walking through the park and they stop to watch Jude perform. They just don’t know he’s Jude, because Darcy hasn’t even arrived yet and…well. No spoilers. PS That boy running through the fountain was not choreographed, but was amazing.

Thanks to everyone who made Forever in Love release week a blast. Your warm fuzzies, excitement, and support of the trilogy means so much to me. I will be forever in love with your positive energy, friendly neighbors. Shine on ❤

I have been a hardcore Blake Nelson fangirl ever since I discovered Girl in 1994. I was in college and it was in the adult section because we really didn’t have a teen section yet except for a few sorry shelves in the children’s section and I could not even wait for another Blake Nelson book to come out. But that was before, like, the internet, and way before socials, so there was no way to just contact Blake directly and be like, “Do you have another book coming out?” I stalked the area where I found Girl for a long time afterwards. No new books were ever there.

Years later when YA was established, you can imagine how stoked out of my head I was to discover that Blake Nelson had several books on the shelves. They are all amazing and brilliant and I highly recommend you read each and every one of them.

For the past 10 years of my author life, I have been hoping to be on a panel with Blake. And then BOOM! My Forever in Love book launch event happened at Books of Wonder, the best indie bookstore in New York City that has hosted all of my City Love trilogy launch events, and we were finally on a panel together. Perfect timing so we could celebrate shiny new Boy and fresh faced Girl.

Basically? Don’t stop believing.

What else. The City Love trilogy tour videos are rolling out on my YouTube. The third location is 43 5th Avenue, the building where Sadie, Darcy, and Rosanna are sharing an apartment together the summer before college. Which was also the dorms where Felicity Porter and her friends lived on Felicity! This building was University of New York (which doesn’t exist IRL) student housing, so I brought it back in the trilogy as UNY student housing again because Felicity is one of my Top Five Fave Shows and hopefully the trilogy has some Felicity feels.

My appreciation for you is abundant. If you enjoyed any of the City Love trilogy books, would you kindly share a review online? Your opinion matters to me, and your bright stars can attract new readers. THANK YOU for your kindness!

Speaking of online booksellers, if you read Forever in Love and enjoy it or have read City Love and/or Lost in Love and enjoyed those, would you kindly consider sharing your review online? Your opinion matters to me and to others. Those bright stars attract new readers!

I’ve been doing online Q&As with giveaways this week. Tomorrow, July 12, I will be answering your questions all day in my Goodreads Q&A group. On Thursday, July 13, I’ll be doing a Twitter chat 7-8pm EST. Everyone who asks a question will be entered to win a signed copy of Forever in Love, two winners per event. My goal is to answer as many of your questions as possible, but I usually don’t get to them all. A remaining one that made me smile is this:

Thanks to everyone who has read the City Love trilogy and is excited for this final book. I love connecting with you on socials, and am eternally grateful for your enthusiasm and support. You are why I write.

The Forever in Love playlist consists of music that inspired the end to the City Love trilogy. Some of these songs are featured in the book. My girls Sadie, Darcy, and Rosanna sing to one of them at the top of their lungs walking along the Hudson River. And some resonate with that bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye.

Please join me in celebrating the release of Forever in Love on July 11 with some online events and giveaways from July 9 to July 13.

Everyone who participates in these chats and Q&As will be entered to win a signed copy of Forever in Love. Here’s how this will go down:

Sunday, July 9, 2017 7-8pm ESTInstagram chat + giveaway

Earlier in the day on July 9, I’ll put the chat post up on my Instagram. Everyone who asks a question for the chat will be entered to win a signed copy of the book. Two winners (US only) will be randomly selected right after the chat ends and announced on the post. You can comment with questions for me about love, life, literature, or anything else before or during the live chat. This will be my first Instagram chat and I can’t wait to see how it goes!

Monday, July 10, 2017 7-8pm ESTFacebook Q&A + giveaway

There will be a Q&A post on my Facebook before the live Q&A starts. Everyone who comments on the post with a question will be entered to win a signed copy of the book. This giveaway is international! Two winners will be randomly selected and announced in the post right after the Q&A ends.

Let’s talk about all the things you will be forever in love with. I want to know what makes you feel alive! I’ll announce that our chat has begun on my Twitter, and then have fun with it. Everyone who tweets with #ForeverInLove will be entered to win a signed copy of the book. Two winners (US only) will be announced right after the chat ends.

And yes, if you’re participating in more than one of these events you can totally ask the same question if I haven’t answered it yet. My goal is to answer as many of your questions as I can!

If you’re in the New York City area, I’m doing a launch event on Tuesday, July 11, 6-8pm at Books of Wonder. With some freaking amazing authors. Info here.